TORONTO – The Greater Toronto Area woke up this morning literally buried in snow, following a record-breaking winter storm that brought the largest single-day snowfall ever recorded in Toronto since records began in 1937.
According to data released by Environment Canada, 61 centimeters of snow fell in downtown Toronto, one of the highest amounts ever recorded in the city; 56 centimetres were measured at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and 46 centimeters at Pearson Airport, marking the snowiest day in the airport’s history. Considering the snow that had already fallen in the preceding days, January 2026 has officially become the snowiest month ever recorded since 1937, with a total of 88.2 cm of snow—and it’s not over yet.
During the storm, especially from Monday afternoon onwards, visibility on the roads was nearly zero. The Ontario Provincial Police had to respond to approximately 200 collisions and 150 calls for vehicles stuck in snowbanks or ditches. Unfortunately, there was also a fatal accident on a highway ramp in Kitchener, where a vehicle went over a barrier due to accumulated snow.
Despite continuous efforts by snowplows, working through the night and throughout this morning, many roads remain difficult to navigate, with narrowed lanes, poor visibility, and covered signage.
Public transportation was also heavily affected: several subway lines were partially closed, with replacement buses and delays in service.
Nearly all schools in the Greater Toronto Area were closed at least for today.
Efforts to return to normal will begin today, although the aftereffects of what has been a historic storm will certainly still be felt. Winter is far from over, and much of the snow that has fallen is likely to remain—and perhaps even increase…
In the pic above, a glimpse of York Mills Road, near the intersection with Leslie Street, this morning around 6:00 a.m.; here below, Dufflaw Road this morning around 8:00 a.m. and two photos compared that show the amount of snow that fell in just a few hours (photo by Marzio Pelù – Corriere Canadese)
